Broken

“Where’s Ussay?” Octavion asked. “She will know where Kira is.”

“Most of the staff had the day off,” Mara said. “Ussay did not come to the castle today.”

“Cade, get her. Bring her here now.” Cade disappeared as voices rang out from the courtyard. Octavion started for the door, only to be met by Luka, who closed the door behind him-six guards by his side.

“Search the grounds, leave no stone unturned,” Luka barked.

“Has anyone seen her?” Octavion asked.

“Nothing yet, but most of the staff are arriving to help. Several headed out to look near the lake and go north toward Kazedon. They will check with the field workers to see if they have seen her or any strange Royals on one of the roads leading out of the village.”

Cade appeared with Ussay by his side. Her eyes were wide and Octavion could see the fear in them. “She knows nothing, Octavion. She has not seen her.”

Octavion looked into her eyes and saw her deceit. His gaze shifted to her right hand where she wore no bandage and no sign of her sacrifice for Ethan. He grabbed it and pulled it into Cade’s view. “Then how do you explain this?”

Cade knocked Octavion’s hand loose and stepped between them. “You will not touch her.”

“She knows where Kira is.” Octavion shoved him out of the way and stepped closer to Ussay. Mara sprang to her feet. Luka had to hold her back to keep her out of Octavion’s way.

“If you know something, you need to tell him,” Cade said to Ussay.

“All right.” She took a few hesitant steps toward Octavion. “It is your fault,” she blurted.

“What? How dare you blame me for this? I was not here.” He reached for her, but stopped in front of her face and made a fist instead. He was so close to hitting her, it scared him. He turned away.

“She saw you,” Ussay whispered.

Octavion turned back to see her face again. “Explain yourself.”

She looked back over her shoulder at the others, then turned toward Octavion again. “She came to my cottage this morning. She said she was bored and wanted to tour the marketplace. We had such a grand time. She picked something out for you and we got our hair braided and-”

“Ussay!” he interrupted. “When did she see me?”

“With Serena. She saw you with Serena.” She stepped closer and slapped him on the chest.

He pushed her away and growled. “It is not what you think.”

“I saw you, too, Octavion. You held hands with her. You kissed her and touched her face. How do you explain that away?”

“Not that it is any of your business, but I tried to pay for Kira’s shawl. She refused, so I took her hand, placed the coin in it and held it there. I kissed her hand, as do most gentlemen. And as for the face, she had something in her hair so I brushed it away.” He took a step back and put his hands on his hips. “Who are you to question my love for Kira?”

She wiped the tears from her face and straightened. “You did not have to stand there and hear Kira’s heart break in two.”

Octavion tried to ignore her words, but they pierced him to the core. Kira’s impression of what she saw was the reason she disappeared. He had to find her.

“Where is she, Ussay? You know-I can see it in your eyes.”

She shook her head. “I do not know. She ran back to the castle and I followed her, but then. .” She paused.

“Tell me,” he roared.

Before she could answer, Nestor appeared with King Belesgar.

“Octavion,” Nestor called. “I have found something.” He stepped closer, holding a handful of what appeared to be splintered wood. “I found it in her chambers. It was on the floor near her bed.”

Octavion examined it carefully. It appeared to be a small box, now shattered into several pieces. There was a small piece of blood stained fabric with two canine teeth from a tiger. “Toran,” he whispered.

Cade stepped closer and picked up the teeth. He held them to his face and took in a breath. “Octavion, these cannot be Toran’s, the blood is fresh.

Octavion’s mind wandered back to the meadow where two playful white tiger cubs romped in the tall grass. His heart sank at the thought of their mother being killed. “Was there anything else?”

Ussay stepped forward. “Yes.”

Cade looked at her like she’d confessed to murder. “You have seen this before?”

She nodded without looking at him.

“Start talking, Ussay.” Cade folded his arms and motioned with his head toward Octavion.

“There was a heart shaped medallion on a silver chain-tiger’s eye I think.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of crinkled parchment. She held it for Octavion to take. “And this. I did not understand the words, but Kira did.”

Octavion grabbed it from her and quickly smoothed it open. When he saw the handwriting, fear struck him like a bolt of lightning. “Shandira is here.”

“Ussay, is there anything else you are not telling me?”

“She was stronger, Octavion. That bracelet did things to her. I saw it happen with my own eyes. I am sorry. I should have sent for you, but she said Shandira would kill Arela and she was. .”

Octavion held up his hand, cutting her off. “I will find her.” Then he turned his attention to his father and Nestor. “Take the women and children to my father’s chambers immediately and lock down the castle.”

“Father,” Cade said. “Will you take Ussay, as well?”

Nestor agreed, then helped Belesgar gather the girls and disappeared.

Octavion returned his attention to the paper. He was used to deciphering Shandira’s dark verse, she’d been writing it for years. He read the words again, certain he knew exactly where Kira had gone. “She is in Pride Meadow.”

Both Cade and Luka clamped their hands on Octavion’s shoulders and an instant later they stood near the stream where he’d watched Kira play with the cubs. Though completely dark, the silver light from the waxing moons showed them all they needed to see.

With his first breath, Octavion picked up the scent of Kira’s blood beyond the trees. He saw himself perched atop a fallen pine and an instant later he was there. He spotted one of Shandira’s blades lying in the dirt, but nothing else at first. He jumped to the ground and searched-from the amount of blood on the blade, and no other signs of it, he guessed Kira hadn’t been hurt badly.

“Octavion,” Luka yelled. “We have found her.”

Luka stood near the log that spanned the stream-Octavion joined him in an instant. Cade knelt in the grass blocking Octavion’s view of her face, but her lifeless legs and blood-soaked torso were in full view. Octavion grabbed Luka’s shoulder for support.

“Breathe, cousin. It is not Kira,” Luka said.

Octavion took the scent into his lungs and immediately recognized it. Shandira. “Is she dead?”

“Yes,” Cade said. He stood and handed Octavion a bloody piece of fabric. “This is the only thing that has Kira’s blood on it. It appears to be the sleeve from a woman’s shirt. It is not Shandira’s so it must be hers.” He pointed to the end nearest where the shoulder would be. There was a small cut and the strong smell of Kira’s blood. Even though it was soaked with Shandira’s blood, it still made Octavion’s throat burn.

Octavion glanced down at his sister’s body. He’d spent all these years hating her, but the sight of his own flesh and blood lying dead before him took a toll on his emotions. He knelt on one knee to get a better view.

He looked at the position of her body and the lack of blood on her skin. That, and the sleeve of Kira’s shirt, was evidence enough to know that she’d been treated with respect, even after her death. That Kira would take the time to lovingly tend to her appearance so her family wouldn’t have to see her in such a way, made him love her even more. He took solace in knowing her last moments were spent with Kira.

As he stood, the wind shifted slightly. A sudden burst of air hit his senses, burning his eyes and throat. The muscles in his back swelled to their full capacity and he turned to Luka and Cade to find them reacting in the same way. Blood-two scents were unfamiliar, but the other belonged unmistakably to Kira.

In full transformation, the gifts of each Royal were enhanced. With the swiftness and agility to run at speeds